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| Photos ©LENA GHIO , 2017 |
FRANÇAIS app de traduction à gauche
This past Friday I enjoyed the complete MTL à TABLE offering at Restaurant de L'ITHQ. The restaurant is elegant but simple. This is where students hone in their skills accompanied by their teachers who both supervise and assist. Their offering for this year's edition was nouvelle cuisine with products from Quebec producers and farms. The result was absolute excellence.
When we arrive, we are immediately asked if we prefer bubbly water or flat water. Once we have given our order, a delicious hors d'oeuvre composed of colorful beets in vinaigrette with a sliver of crisp. Soon after that a sommelier comes to propose the perfect wine for our choice of menu. We both chose the following dishes: First service: Foie gras mousse with apple brandy, madeleine and squash crumble,
crispy marinated apples and chunky sauce scented with tarragon: Second service: Plat de côte of Boileau venison contisé with black garlic, reduced gravy, roasted onion consommé tart, coffee and onion jelly. She proposed a red wine from Italy, Il Falcone, known for its dry textured and fruity taste. It was indeed the perfect option to accompany our choices.
The First service was so scrumptious, I cut the madeleine before taking the picture. The mousse was light and tasty. The crispy marinated apples and chunky sauce scented with tarragon are so delicious and add just the right texture and contrast to the foie gras. Serving the mousse with the spicy madeleine added another layer of flavor and character.
The Second service: took me by surprise with it's mixture of delicate flavors and composition. The côte of Boileau venision is very low in fat but very juicy. The exterior is lightly caramelized and looks dark until you cut into it's tender meat to realize the meat is indeed a deep dark red. We became silent as we savored this crispy juicy rib like no other I had ever tasted before. The accompanying dish, roasted onion consommé tart, consisted of rye grain in pureed mixed vegetables served in a half roasted onion, a unique concept that is a pleasure on the palate like the perfect amount of gravy and coffee and onion jelly.
For the Third service, we shared the following: Cranberry cheesecake, beet and raspberry coulis, reconstituted shortbread with white chocolate & Autumn
mille-feuille: caramelized puff pastry, spiced pumpkin flan, crémeux
with Alto el Sol 65% chocolate, Chantilly cream, Zéphyr caramel 35%. Again we jumped onto the mouthwatering loveliness before I took a shot of how gorgeous the deserts looked. You will have to take my word for it. But I suspect the fact we couldn't help ourselves from cutting into them will inspire you more than the appearance.
Finally we were served cappuccino like I never experienced in my life. The hostess poured steaming coffee in an elegant stemmed glass filled with hot milk mousse right in front of us. DAZZLING! But there was yet another treat in store for us as the Maître d'hôtel, Thierry Pelven, came at our table with a beehive slab to give us a teaspoon of the freshest linden honey. He explained to us that their regular menu included a cheese platter that was served with portions of the aromatic sweet honey.
Every moment of our experience was delightful. I highly recommend a visit to the establishment that offers many services from lodging to venues of the highest quality.
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